University of Virginia Library

LII. LII

CLARK TO WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON

LII. [From the Baltimore Telegraphe and Daily Advertiser, July 25, 1805.][1]

Dear Sir, By the return of a party which we send from this place
with dispatches, I do myself the pleasure of giving you a summary view
of the Missouri, &c.

In ascending as high as the Kanzas river, which is 334 miles up the
Missouri on the S.W. side, we met a strong current, which runs from
five to seven miles an hour, the bottoms extensive, and covered with
timber; the high country is interspersed with rich handsome prairies;
well watered, and abounds in dear and bear. In ascending as high as
the river Plate, we met a current less rapid, not exceeding 6 miles an
hour; in this distance we pass several small rivers on each side which
water some fine diversified country principally prairie as between the
Vincennes and Illinois, the bottomed continued wide, and covered with
timber, this river is about 600 yards wide, at the mouth, not navigable,
it heads the rocky mountains, with the North River, and Yellow Stone
River, and passes through an open country; 15 leagues up this river
the Ottoes, and thirty Missouries lives in one village, and can raise
200 men, 15 leagues h[i]gher up the Paneas and Penea republicans live
in one village, and can raise 700 men; up the Wolf Fork of this river,
the Pania Lousis live in one village, and can raise 280 men. The
Indians have partial rupture frequently. River Plate is 630 miles up
the Missouri, on the south west side: Here we find the antelope or
goat. The next river of size ascending, is the Stone river, commonly
called by the Indians, Little River Desioux: it takes its rise in lake
Despice, 15 miles from the river Demoir, and is 64 yards wide. Here

commences the Sioux country. The next river of note is the Big
Sioux river, which heads with St. Peters and waters of lake Winnepic,
in some high wooded country. About 90 miles higher up, the river
Jaque falls on the same side, and about one hundred yards wide. This
river heads with the waters of lake Winnepic, at no great distance east
from this place. The head of the River Demon is in Pilican lake,
between the Sioux rivers and the St. Peters. The country on both
sides of the Missouri, from the river Plate to that place, has very much
the same appearance: extensive fertile plains, with but very little
timber, and that little principally confined to the river bottoms and
streams. The country east of this place, and off from the Missouri as
low as Stone river, contains a number of small lakes, many of which
are said to be so much impregnated with glauber salts, as to produce all
its effects; certain it is, that the water in the small streams from the
hills below, on the south west side, possesses this quality. About the
river Jacque, Bruffala county contains great quantities of mineral, cobalt,
cinnebar, alum, copperas, and several other things; the stone coal which
is on the Missouri is very indifferent. Ascending 52 miles above the
Jacque, the river Quicum falls in on the south west side. This river is,
1026 miles up, 150 yards wide, not navigable; it heads in the black
mountains, which run nearly parallel to the Missouri, from about the
head of the Kanzas river, and end S. W. of this place. Quicum waters
a broken country, 122 miles by water higher. White river falls in on
the south west side, and is 300 yards wide, and navigable, as all the
other streams are, which are not particularly mentioned. This river
heads in some small lakes short of the black mountains. The Mahan
and Poncan nations rove on the heads of this river and the Quicum
and Can raise 250 men, they were very numerous a few years ago, but
the small-pox and the Sioux have reduced them to their present state
—the Sioux possess the south west of the Missouri, above White river;
132 miles higher, and on the west side.—Teton river falls into it, it
is small, and heads in the open plains; here we met a large band of
Sioux. and the second which we had seen called Tetons, those are
great rascals, and may be justly termed the pirates of the Missouri;
they made two attemps to stop us; they are subdivided and stretched on
the river to near this place, having reduced the Ruaras and Mandans,
and drove them from the country they now occupy, the Sioux bands
rove in the country to the Mississippi. About 47 miles above the
Teton river, the Chyenne river falls in from the south west, 400 yards
wide, and navigable to the Black mountains, in which it takes its rise,
in the 3d range. Several bands of Indians but little known, rove on
the heads of this and the river Plate, and are stated to be as follows;
Chayenne, 300 men, Staetan 100 men; Canenaviech, 400 men;
Cavanwa and Wetabato, 200 men; Catoha, 70 men; Detain, 30 men:
Memetoon, 50 men; Castah na, 1300 men; it is probable that some
of these bands are the remains of the Paducar nation; at 1440 miles up
the Missouri, (and a short distance above two handsome rivers which
take their rise in the Black mountains) the Rickaras live in three
villages, and are the remains of ten different tribes of Paneas, who have
been reduced and drove from their country lower down, by the Sioux,
their number is about 500 men, they raise corn, beans, &c. and appear
friendly and well disposed, they were at war with the nations of this
neighborhood, we have brought about a peace between the Recars and
this place, two rivers fall in on the south west, and one on the north
east, not very long, and take their rise in the open country; this
country abounds in a great variety of wild animals but a few of which
the Indians take, many of those animals are uncommon in the U. States,
such as white, red and grey bears, long ear'd male or black tailed deer,
(black at the end of the tail only) large hare, antelope or goat, the red
fox, the ground praire dog, (burrows in the ground) the braroca, which
has a head like a dog, and the size of a small dog, the white brant,
magpye, calumet eagle, &c and many other are said to inhabit the rocky
mountains.

I have collected the following account of the rivers and country in
advance of this, to wit: at two days march in advance of this the Little
Missouri, falls in on the side and heads in at the north extremity of the
Black mountains; six days further a large river joins the Missouri,
affording as much water as the main river, this river is rapid, without a
fall, and navagable to the Rocky mountains; its branches head with the
waters of the river Plate; the country in advance is said to be broken.

The trade of the nations at this place is from the N. W. and Hudsons
bay establishments on the Assinneboin river, distant about 150 miles;
those traders are nearly at open war with each other, and better calculated
to destroy then promote the happiness of those nations to whom
they have latterly extended their trade, and intend to form an establishment
near this place in the course of this year.